WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM HAVING RECONFIGURABLE OPTICAL SWITCH AND TUNABLE BACKUP LASER TRANSMITTER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a backup path, and to accomplish restoration with a small influence on a traffic than a conventional art.

SOLUTION: In a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system that includes a plurality of nodes mutually connected by communication links, a node includes a reconfigurable optical switch 2 having a plurality of input ports 24 and an output port 26 and a plurality of transmitters 2 that are coupled to the input ports. The transmitters generate optical signals at channel wavelengths different from one another. The optical switch is adaptable to receive at any of input ports any of the channel wavelengths from the plurality of transmitters and directs them to the output port. At least one backup transmitter which includes a tunable laser tunable to any of the channel wavelengths at which the plurality of transmitters operate is coupled to one of the input ports of the optical switch. The optical switch includes at least one wavelength selective element which selects at least one wavelength from among the wavelengths received at any arbitrary input ports.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT